Lafarge Group, a world leader in the building materials industry, has become the first Fortune 500 company to open a new factory in Sichuan Province, southwest China, since the Wenchuan Earthquake on May 12.

Lafarge Boral Gypsum Asia (LGBA) announced that Lafarge Gypsum (Chengdu) Co., Ltd., a new plant of Lafarge Gypsum China, was put into operation in Jintang County, Chengdu on June 18.

With an investment of 110 Million yuan (US$15.9 million), the plant is designed for a future annual output of 20 million square meters of plasterboard.

Christian Devillers, CEO of Lafarge Gypsum, said, "We are convinced that the big environment of Sichuan's economy will quickly recover, and we will be resolutely working hand with the Sichuan people and all Chinese people to build an even more beautiful future for Sichuan," he said. Plasterboard's quakeproof coefficient is much higher than traditional brick and concrete walls, said Devillers.

The new plant will manufacture plasterboard with approximately 50 to 100 percent recycled materials, he said and will increase Lafarge Gypsum China's capacity from 50 million to more than 70 million square meters.

Lafarge has donated 15 million yuan worth of cash and goods to quake-affected areas.

(Xinhua News Agency June 26, 2008)